File photo by Dhakshineswar Suresh. (Image: SAI) NEW DELHI: Rising tennis star Dhakshineswar Suresh has been named in the Asian Games Target Group (TAGG) following his outstanding performance in India’s recent Davis Cup qualifier win over the Netherlands in February.The decision was taken during the 169th meeting of the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) under the Sports Authority of India (SAI), which also approved financial assistance for Yuki Bhambri and Sumit Nagal in preparation for major events like the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan and the upcoming Davis Cup matches.
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Dhakshineswar earned his TAGG inclusion on the back of a remarkable display during India’s Davis Cup match against the Netherlands. The youngster played a decisive role in the shootout and produced one of the most memorable performances of his young career.The 25-year-old won both of his singles matches against higher-ranked opponents — world No. 88 (Jesper de Jong) and world No. 162 (Guy Den Ouden) — before teaming up with Bhambri to clinch the doubles decider. His contributions helped India secure a historic victory that took the team into the second round of the Davis Cup qualifiers, where they will face South Korea from September 18-20, later this year. MOC noted that Dhakshineswar’s performances underscore his potential as a strong contributor for India in both singles and doubles. The young player already has six wins against top 200 opponents, including a win over 100 players.
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His inclusion brings the number of tennis players supported under the Target Asian Games Group to 12. Launched by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in 2025, TAGG is modeled after the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and aims to provide financial support to athletes with medal potential at the 2026 Asian Games.In the same meeting, the MOC also approved financial assistance packages for Bhambri (for Rs 28.89 lakh) and Nagal (for Rs 27.51 lakh) to support their international training and competition plans in preparation for the Asian Games and upcoming Davis Cup commitments.
